Improvement in grave-coverings



J. n. ABRAMS.

Grave Coverings.

NO 144,300, l Patented Nov4,1873.

` A Attorneys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

JOSEPH R. ABRAMS, OF GREENVILLE, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN `GRAVECOVERINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,300, dated November 4, 1873; application led August 8, 1873.

part of this specification.

The invention relates to mounds erected over graves; and consists in improving the present construction thereof, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is an end view. Fi g. 2 is a side ele' vation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of plate D and head-board.

Arepresents three arches of stone or meta-l, extended across the ends and middle of a grave, sunk in the ground so that their upper faces a are about level with the surface. On these I rest four,inwardly-inclined plates, B B and C C, which may be made of any suitable material, separate for convenience in handling and transportation, and may be fitted together like the plates of a stove, or in any other suitable manner. D is another plate, preferably rectangular in shape, and supported on the frame B C. In this plate is cut an oval opening, d, and on the inner edge is excised or formed, by a subjacent strip, E, an angular recess, dl, with the inner face cl2. This plate is, preferably, made in two longitudinal parts, and may be channeled to make it as light as possible. F is the head-plate, on which is inscribed the name of the deceased in a recess, f, or on a plain surface. This head-plate may be fastened to the plate D by a bracket on each side of the ends bolted to both plates; or it may be attached in any well-known way.

The arches A having been adjusted in position across the grave, the frame B C secured in position over it, and the plate D supported on the latter, the earth is filled into the grave, and rounded over the aperture d. A layer of hydraulic cement, containing embedded shells or any other ornamentation, is then placed over the mound, resting with its edges upon the face d2, and being thus firmly and immovably supported on the arches A A A, made of masonry or metal. l

By this construction the sinking of the loose earth in the grave has no effect upon the superposed and hardened artificial mound formed by the cement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a cement or other artificial grave-mound, of the plate D, supported directly or indirectly upon. subjacent arches A placed across the grave, as and for the purpose described 2. The combination, with arches A and plate D, of the intermediate frame B, as and for the purpose described.

3. The plate D, constructed, as described,

`rwith oval recess d, to support therein the edges of the cement shell or mound with -face d1, as set forth.

4. A grave-mound plate, D, having the headplate F secured detachably, as and for the purpose specied.

J. R. ABRAMS.

Witnesses:

GnAs. A. PETTIT, THOMAS B. SIMPSON. 

